tinkers," added Leopold, as he removed the wet rock-weed with which
he had covered the fish to protect them from the sun. "They are handsome
ones, too."

"So they are--number ones every one of them, and some extra," said the
landlord, as he raised the fish with his hand so that he could see them.

"They were the handsomest lot of mackerel I ever saw," continued the
young fisherman, his face glowing with satisfaction. "I brought up three
dozen for you, and sold the rest. I made a good haul to-day."

"Three dozen will be all we can use in the house, as big as those are.
Two dozen would have been enough; we don't have many people here now.
But where did you get them?"

"Just off High Rock, where the Waldo was wrecked. I fished within a
cable's length of the Ledges. I don't know but the sugar and molasses
from the brig drew the mackerel around her," laughed Leopold, as he took
an old black wallet from his pocket.

"Were there any other boats near you?" asked the prudent landlord.

"Not another one; folks are tired of trying for mackerel, and have given
it up. I didn't expect to find any, but I happened to have my jigs in
the boat; and for an hour I worked three of them as lively as any fellow
ever did, I can tell you."

"Did they ask you at the fish market where you got them?"

"They did; but I didn't tell them," laughed the young man. "The mackerel
fetched a good price. I counted off three hundred and twenty-four at ten
cents apiece, and wouldn't take any less. They are scarce, and I saw
them selling the fish at twenty cents apiece; so they will make as much
as I do. Here is the money--thirty-two dollars and forty cents."

[Illustration: HARVEY BARTH, HIS DIARY. Page 65.]

"Keep it yourself, my boy. You shall have all you make, as long as you
don't spend it for candy and nonsense. Now go up and see the sick man.
He may want something, and all the folks have been busy this afternoon."

The landlord took the basket of fish and put them on the ice, while
Leopold went up to Harvey Barth's chamber. The sick man did not want
anything. He was sitting up in the bed, with his diary and a pen in his
hands, while the inkstand stood on the little table with the medicine
bottles.

"There," said Harvey to Leopold, who had been a frequent attendant
during his sickness, "I have just finished writing up this date; and it
contains the whole story of the wreck of the Waldo, and all that
happened on board of her during the voyag